Lane Shine!!

[MICHAEL]

I think I know what lane shine is, (oil from the lanes absorbing into the ball), but how is it that it can help a balls reaction?
I was reading about a guy that has a Beatdown, Matte ball, and he says: ( I like the movement of the ball out of the box, but think it will be even better after a little lane shine!)

So a certain degree of oil absorbed on a matte ball is good? I thought the whole idea was to get as much of the oil out of the ball as possible! Or is lane shine a different thing entirely...

[bowl1820]

There's a lot bowlers who feel you need to "Break in" a new ball. Before it starts working at it's best.

Yes ball surfaces will change with use, polished balls will get duller and dull balls will shine up. The general rule of thumb was that the balls surface would wind up about a 600 grit surface. Now this was more when there more wood lanes, because they have a lot more texture than synthetics.

Though I believe they have now changed this to about 800 grit. Do to the synthetic lane surfaces and change of coverstock materials.

IMO He's not referring to the oil that's being absorbed into the ball. (Though it does and the ball can get a glaze on it.)

It's more about the matte surface of the ball getting smoothed some as it gets wear from friction with the lane.

[sprocket]

I think it depends on how much oil is absorbed into the ball and WHERE. If we assume that the oil is just absorbed in the area of the oil rings, then it could be helpful. Since there are DRY flare rings that area might still be free from absorbed oil. So the oil absorbed in the ball might help it get down the lane, while not really hurting its back end reaction.

I don't know if it truly matters but I try not to spread the oil all over the ball when I wipe the oil off the ball between shots. I actually think there are guys using dirty, oily towels that are doing more harm than good when they wipe the ball off. Instead of removing oil from the ball they are just smearing it around and pushing it into the pores.

[MICHAEL]

At BP bowling shops, the owner, an X pro bowler, said the latest is NOT TO WIPE YOUR BALL off between shots! I know,,, you see it on TV every week! But when studied, under scientific conditions, they found it does more harm then good!

He said its still a good thing to clean it after your done bowling, but the motion of rubbing after each shot actually pushes it into the core, and as sprocket mentions above, SPREADS it all over the ball.

In a perfect world, it would be best to clean it off after bowling only, and in the directions of your rotations! Thus not spreading it all over the ball, in areas where it would not normally be present if not wiped incorrectly.

This study, according to Bruce was performed not long ago, and is back with use of scientific methods!

Hey for all you wipers, I am not the source, just the messenger..

But if you think about it deeply,,, it does make sense!

[bowl1820]

This study, according to Bruce was performed not long ago, and is back with use of scientific methods! !

I believe you mentioned this before and someone asked who did this study and where they could see it. Did Bruce ever tell you?


I've never ran across any studies saying wiping the ball with a towel will drive lane oil into the ball. Unless your towel is dirty or already soaked, it should absorb the oil from the surface of ball.

[dnhoffman]

Id like to see it.

[MICHAEL]

I believe you mentioned this before and someone asked who did this study and where they could see it. Did Bruce ever tell you?


I've never ran across any studies saying wiping the ball with a towel will drive lane oil into the ball. Unless your towel is dirty or already soaked, it should absorb the oil from the surface of ball.

I will ask Bruce, who has workshops with pro's come to his lanes on and off, and will get back with you. If you think about it,,, sure some oil comes off on the rag as you wipe! But the pressure involved could push actually push oil also into the ball deeper!

example,,, concrete,,,, pour a small amount of oil on its surface,,, it will bead up! then push the oil back and fourth with a rag. Some of it will come off on the rag, but a good amount would go into the porous cement, and thus go even deeper.

Maybe not a great example, but I will get back to you on your question as to Who come up with this study!

As I remember talking to Bruce, he did say it was important to clean your equipment AFTER bowling, but not to do it each time you pick it up!

[MICHAEL]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/BPS-P...36803633033406

This is Bruce's facebook, you can ask him yourself, or just check his thoughts out on the Tri-Grip system that he offers.
I did put in a request for your question!

[dnhoffman]

Thanks, it's an interesting take none the less. I dunno if I can stop my OCD ball wiping now... But I'd like to read the study!